Wild 2014/2015 Regular Season

[Bear55]

Spurgeon and Leddy are pretty much wash, only so much room for undersized offensive D men. We lost one for dump and got one for free, personally I like Spurgeon more.

[PierBridge]

Well I'm not ready to crown leddy the best D Man by any stretch but to use the argument of being benched as a barometer as to the skill level of a player well ask Garth snow how that turned out with Nino.

There's more to a benching than ability.

Hardly my or the Hawks barometer.

Lets not kid ourselves. It's not rocket science, it took Chicago all summer to unload him and for what?

Two sacks of potatoes "2 AHL-ers" is all they got for him.

His salary versus overall skill set really hurt his trade value thus the hawks basicly giving him away.

Tough yet smart call for the hawks as they probably could have done better trading him to a western team.

I still think being young as he is he could be pretty good down the road.

The hawks will easily fill the 6th defensive position that leddy barely hung onto.

I just think hes an average at best right now and Quenneville "his coach" saw his major defensive deficiencies thus the give away.

Yeah id imagine the hawks players liked him. Thats how players role for the most part..

Just my opinion!

[CaptainMusky]

You realize by making that argument you're equating Garth Snow and Joel Quenville, right? I know who's judgment I'd trust more...

I know, I know. I wasnt saying, i was just sayin'! There's a difference. :-)

All I was trying to say is "benching" doesnt necessarily mean they are not good enough to play, its personality clashes, etc. This is what led to the demise of Nino in Islanders (aside from the fact that Snow is a complete MORON).

I think Leddy is average to above average, but mentioned him due to the local angle. Nothing more, nothing less.

[CaptainMusky]

Spurgeon and Leddy are pretty much wash, only so much room for undersized offensive D men. We lost one for dump and got one for free, personally I like Spurgeon more.

I agree. If given the choice of the two I would pick Spurgeon every day of the week and twice on Sunday. He has some cutthroat killer mentality to him for a person of his size. I like that, but worry about injury. He has a definite plus with the scoring ability too.

[PierBridge]

Sorry for side tracking the thread.

Anyway lets play hockey!!!

Youngsters Earn Spots With Wild

The media poured into the Minnesota Wild locker room after practice and flooded around defenseman Matt Dumba. On the day that the team’s final training camp roster cuts were announced, reporters were intent on getting a few words with the rookie, who was one of the players fighting for a roster spot. As the moat of cameras and microphones surrounded Dumba, they spilled in front of the stall of his defensive partner from today, fellow first-year blueliner, Christian Folin. While Dumba was asked about making the team, Folin sat as calm as still water across the room in Nino Neiderreiter’s stall until a lane was cleared so he could hang his equipment and field questions himself.

Folin, who has been floating between the visitor’s dressing room and various spots in the Wild’s room throughout camp, might’ve forgotten where his stall was. More likely (and good for the Lighthouse), he hasn’t learned to use his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame to elbow reporters out of the way. While he hasn’t learned to paddle media members aside, he found out something much more important today before practice.

“They didn’t tell me anything,” Folin said. “I just came here and worked out this morning and I got my jersey in my stall and saw my number was on the board.

“I put everything out there that I had and I thought I did well. I was happy with my performance. After the Saturday night game, I thought to myself, ‘There’s nothing else I can do.’ I was hoping for the best.”

Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo said the pair, along with Jason Zucker and Stu Bickel, who also are penciled in the team’s roster, earned their spots. However, things can change as quickly as it takes to pull a sweater over a player’s head.

“There’s usually nothing final about final cuts, that’s the one thing,” Yeo said. “We feel that the guys that are here deserve to be here, whether it’s younger players or older players. We had a good camp, guys did a good job and we’ve seen some people be rewarded for that.”

In Yeo’s eyes, Dumba’s goal and assist performance in the team’s final preseason game against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday solidified the decision to keep the 20-year-old in Minnesota.

“He had a good camp before (Saturday) but he had a real strong game again there,” Yeo said. “Maybe before that game we maybe had some decisions to make, where as after the game there was no decision to be made.”

Folin and Dumba saw time together on Saturday and we’re partners in practice today. Their individual styles turn out to be cohesive, as Dumba can create offense from the blue line, while Folin plays a steady positional game in the D-zone. With the Wild’s top four of Ryan Suter–Jonas Brodin and Marco Scandella–Jared Spurgeon established, there’s a chance the pair will be together when the Wild opens the regular season on Thursday at Xcel Energy Center against the Colorado Avalanche.

“It’s a very good possibility,” Yeo said. “Those guys ended up playing quite a bit at the end of the last game together, and I thought they did a really good job.”

Dumba knows well that things can change overnight. He skated in 13 games with the Wild last season before being reassigned to Canada’s World Junior Team. The defenseman was much more confident in camp this year and his play showed. But he’s not satisfied to merely be here on opening day.

“It feels good, but nothing is set in stone, I know that. I got to come to the rink every day keep growing and keep improving my game,” Dumba said. “I’m so hard on myself, and I just push myself as much as I can. You kind of reach one goal and kind of move on to the next. It’s playing in the next game and making the next play and all those little things that go into it.”

Up front, Bickel and Zucker skated on the fourth line on the wings with Kyle Brodziak. Last season, Zucker was one of the last players cut out of camp. He spent time with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Iowa Wild, and in Minnesota. He appeared in 21 games last season before having season-ending surgery.

“I’ve learned a lot over the past two years of being up and down being in the A and here, and different off seasons,” Zucker said. “I just want to come out and play hard and show that I belong here and have earned my spot. 


“I know that just being here today doesn’t make me satisfied in any way.”

With the Wild’s top six forwards clearly established, Zucker had to show another side of his game. In the preseason he killed penalties, played strong in tough areas like along the walls and in the corners, was smart with the puck and impressed the team’s brass beyond showing a scorer’s touch. Yeo noted it was a much better all-around camp from the speedy wing.

“He scored, which is nice, but if he scored and he didn’t do other things, then he wouldn’t have made the team,” Yeo said. “He did the things, where he’s going to factor in where he’s going to find a place in our lineup on day one.

“Maybe this is an opportunity for Zuck to prove that he can be in the lineup consistently, and play in different roles and play different positions. For young guys that’s quite often how they end up working their way in full time.”

Bickel started the camp as a defenseman, but found himself on the wing, something he previously had done during his time with the New York Rangers. At 6-foot-4, 210-pounds, the Chanhassen native brings a physical element to the team’s lineup.

“If we decide that we’re looking for a certain degree of toughness in a particular game then he’s a guy that could factor in and he’s shown that he can play the game, too,” Yeo said. “We don’t want somebody who is going to go out there and play two shifts necessarily; we want someone to bring some momentum and try to be physical on the forecheck.

“He certainly understands that part of the game, plus he’s there to stick up for his teammates when needed.”

Between the Lines

Here’s what the lines and D-pairs looked like today in practice: 



Pominville–Granlund–Parise

Cooke–Koivu–Vanek

Niederreiter–Haula–Coyle

Bickel–Brodziak–Zucker

Fontaine

Suter–Brodin

Scandella–Spurgeon

Folin–Dumba

Prosser–Ballard

(No) Net Gains

Yeo wouldn’t say if he favored either Niklas Backstrom or Darcy Kuemper as the team’s game one starter. When asked about the goaltending situation, he cryptically responded, “Not right now. After game one, yeah. Both guys, I’m not going to say ones is ahead of the other. Obviously I think, the writing may be on the wall with that if you want to look at it that way, for game one, but that’ll be something we’ll evaluating every day.”

When asked what the writing on the wall may say he smiled: “We’ll get to that. You’ll have to wait until game one.”

Fontaine Skates

The team placed forward Justin Fontaine on Injured Reserve, retroactive Sept. 27. Today, he skated with the team, but won’t be rushed back into the lineup. However, Yeo said there’s a chance he’ll be ready for opening night, but wants to proceed cautiously.

“I would say there is a chance, I’ll be cautious with that one,” Yeo said. “We have to make sure that we’re making the right decision, that we’re a hundred percent confident that he’s ready to go.”

I-35 Transactions

The Wild has placed forwards Cody Almond and Stephane Veilleux on waivers. The team also assigned forwards Joel Rechlicz and Kurtis Gabriel to the Iowa Wild, Minnesota's American Hockey League affiliate.

The club also released goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov from his pro tryout.

The Wild agreed to terms with forward Ryan Carter on a one-year, two-way contract. The White Bear Lake native has skated in 360 NHL games with Anaheim, Carolina, Florida and New Jersey, totaling 68 points (31-37=68) and 341 penalty minutes.

[OnAFly]

one...more...day

I think I'll wear my Koivu Jersey to work tomorrow

[bbfenatic]

I think I'll wear my Koivu Jersey to work tomorrow

Go ahead, you'll appear to your co-workers to be working quite hard....but at the end of the day you will not have accomplished squat, and be careful you might get hurt and be told you are being way over-paid.

[CaptainMusky]

Bazinga!

[OnAFly]

Sounds about right on for me

[Bear55]

Back to back Avs to start the year, what are the odds of that happening? We should see some fire out there to start the year.

[CaptainMusky]

I agree Bear. When we get to their house you can guarantee a gong show. You thought the st Louis game had penalties I bet this one is worse.

[PierBridge]

My Dark Horse pick for the season is....

Arizona!

I think they find away to sneak into the playoffs in the West!

[OnAFly]

They've always been a decent team. Wouldn't surprise me to see them in there.

[bbfenatic]

My Dark Horse pick for the season is....

Arizona!

I think they find away to sneak into the playoffs in the West!

That would be awesome, my daughter works for the Coyotes.

[RK]

Kuemper in net tomorrow night according to Mike Russo. Don't think you'll see too much of a gong show tomorrow or Saturday really. Bordeleau is hurt, and McLeod is a pest but not exactly a fighter.

Seems like Dallas is everyone's darling this year to break through in the West. I know they have a lot up front, but that D corps is pretty smelly. I guess I'm not feeling it.

Seen some predictions that Vancouver will be back in the playoffs this year. I have to classify that as magical thinking.

Have even seem a couple predictions that the Oilers will make the playoffs in the West. Can't imagine how. Based on last year, they'd have to improve just to stink.

Either way, looking forward to sitting down and watching some hockey tonight, even if I do have to wait until tomorrow to watch the Wild...

[CaptainMusky]

Either way, looking forward to sitting down and watching some hockey tonight, even if I do have to wait until tomorrow to watch the Wild...

Amen brother!

Am I the only one surprised by Kuemper getting the nod? I guess I thought Backs being the guy putting in the time and really doing all he could do in net in the games he played that he would be the guy.

Not that I am disappointed at all because Kuemper surely is capable, but I figured Backs would get the nod due to being "all in" from the start.

[bbfenatic]

Am I the only one surprised by Kuemper getting the nod? I guess I thought Backs being the guy putting in the time and really doing all he could do in net in the games he played that he would be the guy.

Not that I am disappointed at all because Kuemper surely is capable, but I figured Backs would get the nod due to being "all in" from the start.

not to mention I read Backs is 24-7-3 all-time vs. the Avs with a 2.25 goals-against average and .924 save percentage but Kemps won 3 critical games in the playoffs against the Avs so maybe Yeo thinks he has their number.

30 hours till GAME TIME!!!!!

[10,000 Casts]

I read somewhere that Kuemper has been sharp in practice and has a "swagger" about him right now. We'll see.

Looks like Suter and Brodin are back on the top pair together. I hope Brodin brings some magic this year.

I'm betting no gong show too. I wish but Bickel is going to be a scratch and like mentioned above, Bordeleau is hurt so it should be some Euro hockey. On that note, I hope we get to see Wrecker in a few games this year, the west is full of heavyweights, Bordeleau, Reaves, Mcgrattan, Scott etc that would love to end someone's season and Roy is a dirty coach. If we lose Granlund or Brodin to a knee on knee or a late hit, we very well might miss the playoffs.. The west is that good and I think it's be real close come April.

[RK]

I think Kuemper gets the home start based on his preseason performance, and Backstrom has been lights out at the Pepsi Center, so I bet he starts Saturday. Plus they don't play for like a week after the first two games (which is lame) so I doubt they want him getting stale not playing in a game for two weeks plus.

I'd love to see Kuemper just step up and take the net, personally. Hoping Backstrom can get back to form. He can be very very good, but he never looked comfortable at all last season, and apparently was never really healthy.

I expect we see Bickel when we play St. Louis, etc. He can throw 'em. I'd rather see Bickel as he can at least play an effective shift. I don't know that Wrecker can do much beyond get in a punch-up.

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

I don't know that Wrecker can do much beyond get in a punch-up.

ya I don't know either. In the St. Louis game, he only got 4 mins of ice time. All I know is if they call him up, I'm dropping everything and going to the game because we all know what he'll be up for.

[CaptainMusky]

Good news if bourdeleau out. I missed that. I hate that brand of hockey. Best on best lace em up shifts every 45 seconds and balls out the whole time.

Glad Yeo practiced 6-5!!!

[OnAFly]

10 hours to go....

[10,000 Casts]

First line (LW/CTR/RW)

Zach Parise • Mikael Granlund • Jason Pominville

Second line

Matt Cooke • Mikko Koivu • Thomas Vanek

Third line

Nino Niederreiter • Erik Haula • Charlie Coyle

Fourth line

Jason Zucker • Kyle Brodziak • Ryan Carter

Extra: Stu Bickel • Injured: Justin Fontaine (glute)

[hoppe56307]

Is it just me or does our 3rd line look extremely dangerous.

[OnAFly]

Our 4th could be too if Zucker gets some space.

Cooke up on the 2nd, huh? We'll see how long that lasts. My guess is that happened specifically to take that 3rd line and make it dangerous.

I had the jersey on today, but it got too hot in the lab...and I found out our Sr Dir of HR is in today....sooooo